Web material severing, folding and packing device



l 1967 F. F. FORTHMANN. JR 3,342,013

WEB MATERIAL SEVERING, FOLDING AND PACKING DEVICE Filed July 10, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

V FREDERICK F. FORTHMANN JR. BYWLMJKWM W m MOSES, MCGLEW AND TOREN 4 ATTORNEYS p 1957 F. F. FORTHMANN, JR 3,342,013

FOLDING AND PACKING DEVICE WEB MATERIAL SEVERING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1964 INVENTOR,

FREDERICK F. FORTHMANN JR.

BY KM kGaWM/FM MOSES,M GLEW AND TOREN AT roan/f Y5 P 1957 F. F. FORTHMANN, JR 3,342,013

WEB MATERIAL SEVERING, FOLDING AND PACKING DEVICE Filed July 10, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

FREDERiCK F. FORTHMANN JR.

MOSES M GLEW AND TQREN AT TQRIUGVS United States Patent 3,342,013 WEB MATERIAL SEVERING, FOLDING AND PACKING DEVICE Frederick F. Forthmann, Jr., 688 Pascack Road, Washington Township, NJ. 07882 Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,851 14 Claims. (Cl. 53-123) This invention relates in general to strip material processing machines, and in particular to a new and useful device for forming labels or similar strip material by folding and pressing them, and in particular to improved mechanism for feeding such labels and for packing them into containers.

The present invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed and claimed in US. Patent No. 3,106,809, filed by the inventor of the present case on Feb. 24, 1961, and particularly refers to improved means for feeding strip material such as labels along two prescribed feed lines and for permitting adjustment of the feed lines and feeding mechanism to accommodate labels of various width, and also to an improved mechanism for packing the labels when they are folded into containers.

The invention is an improvement over prior art machines of this type, particularly in the provision of a multiple or parallel feed path for the strip material and in respect to the details of the mechanism for uniformly advancing the strip material in a continuous length into association with a reciprocating knife. The mechanism advantageously includes an improved label advancing finger which moves through an up and down and back and forth path to contact the label strips and to advance them into association with a reciprocating severing knife. The mechanism advantageously includes means for adjustably mounting one or a plurality of such fingers on an oscillata ble arm member which is moved in a desired manner for causing the desired movement of the finger into association with the continuous label strip material. The mounting mechanism provides means for easily adjusting the location of the finger and the location of the path through which it moves in accordance with the size of the labels which are to be fed. In addition, means are provided for also adjusting the trackways or paths over which the labels are fed and contacted by the movement fingers.

A further feature of the invention is to provide an improved packing arrangement on the machine wherein folded and pressed labels are fed over movable ledge supports in vertical alignment with the container into which the labels are to be packed. The mechanism advantageously includes means for directing the supports out of the way of the ends of the labels to permit them to be moved downwardly by a stacking finger and tucked into the container. A further feature is that the container may be mounted in an open position beneath the ledge members and aligned therewith in a simple and easy manner. Means are provided for adjusting the alignment guides preferably for the simultaneous stacking of two severed label strips or more in side by side relationship within the container. The mechanism advantageously includes simple dial or knob controls for widening or spacing guide members for the vertical descent of the label into the container in accordance with the size of the labels which are being handled.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a downwardly movable stacking element over which an open container for the label is adapted to be positioned. The stacking element forms a bottom base for receiving the labels which are to be stacked in the container and it is moved downwardly by the pressure of feed advance of the labels as they are stacked in the container. The device includes a rod member which is spring biased and which is moved downwardly when the weight of the 3,342,013 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 'ice labels and the feed mechanism is suflicient to overcome the biasing. In this manner an automatic down feed is accomplished without requiring any timing or other complicated mechanism.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved strip feeding device for a strip forming machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip feeding device which includes a plurality of strip advancing fingers which are detachably mounted for actuation by a movable member to advance labels into association with a reciprocating knife.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for feeding strip material through a plurality of paths to a severing knife and with means for adjusting the size of the paths and the movement of the feed mechanism in accordance with the size of the labels to be fed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved label stacking mechanism which includes movable ledge means onto which the labels are moved and which retract to permit downward feeding of the labels into a stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for mounting a container in a position for receiving labels or severed strip materials which include a downwardly movable rod member which is biased against downward movement but which will move downwardly under the influence of the feed of labels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stacking device for labels which includes vertical guide elements which may be adjusted for labels of various widths.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet material forming device and feed mechanism and stacking mechanism therefor which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a device for severing labels for continuous strips of material, folding each end and pressing each end of the severed strips and stacking them into containers as constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the machine indicated in FIG. 1 on a reduced scale;

FIG. 6 is a partial side ele'vational and partial sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a partial end elevational view of the stacking mechanism indicated in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a mounting base generally designated A in which there is provided the operating mechanism and drive for a machine for feeding a continuous strip of material such as a strip of interconnected fabric label elements and for cutting the strip material into the label elements and for subsequently folding and pressing the elements and packing them into a container. The complete details of this operating mechanism are set forth in Patent No. 3,106,809, issued to F. F. Forthmann, Jr. on Oct. 15,1963.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of 3 improved means for the adjustment of the feed path widths and for the adjustable positioning of the feeding or advancing mechanism in order to accommodate labels of various sizes.

The mounting base A is provided with a table top on which are positioned guide channels 12, 12 defining in this embodiment two feed paths 14 and 16 for advancing continuous strips 18 and 20 of label material from a reel 22 which is rotatably mounted on a supporting bracket 24. In the apparatus illustrated, only one reel 22 is provided which has two separate rolls of the continuous strip material 18 and 20 which are directed off the reel through the paths 14- and 16, respectively. The guide channels 12, 12 are mounted for transverse movement back and forth on the table top 10 in order to provide the proper width of the guide path for the label strip material 18 and 20 in accordance with the size of label being handled. For this purpose the guide channels 12, 12 are advantageously slidable in grooves upon rotation of a control knob 26.

By referring particularly to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the machine advantageously includes a feeding mechanism generally designated B which is driven by motor means located in the base A to intermittently advance the continuous length of label material 18 and 20 into asso ciation with a cutting mechanism generally designated C which includes a reciprocating knife timed to cut the continuous strip material into individual labels or blanks 28 and 30. The label blanks 28 and 30 are advanced by a slide mechanism D along a newfeed path which extends at right angles to the original direction of label strip material feed.

In the embodiment illustrated, the slide mechanism D includes an element having extending feet 32 and 34 which are moved downwardly over the label blanks 28 and 30 to advance them first into association with folding and pressing means generally designated F and then into position for operation thereon by a packing mechanism generally designated G. While the slide means D, which is indicated in the drawings, is moved so that the feet 32 and 34 drop downwardly onto the label strips 28 and 30 immediately after they are cut and then slide them along on top of the table 10. The slide means may, of course, comprise any mechanism such as a conveyor for advancing these labels into association with the pressing and folding means F and the packing means G.

A detailed description of the timing of the operation of the feed mechanism B, the knife or severing means C, the means for advancing the labels D, the folding and pressing means F, and the packing means G is set forth in US. Patent No. 3,106,809, mentioned supra. The pres ent invention particularly deals with the improvements in the details of the feed mechanism B and the packing mechanism G.

In accordance with the invention, the feed mechanism B includes a feed holder rod or shaft member 36 (FIG. 1) which is moved backwardly and forwardly and upwardly and downwardly as viewed in the drawing. The rod memher is moved in this manner through the action of an oscillating lever member 38 which is actuated by mechanism (not shown) but fully described in the Patent No. 3,106,809. A feature of the construction is that the hollow rod member 36 carries two independently oscillatable shaft elements or members 40 and 42 (FIG. 4) which are separately connected to oscillating levers 44 and 46, respectively, which produce independent oscillation of the shaft members 40 and 42.

As indicated in FIG. 4, the shaft member 42 is hollow to accommodate the outer end of the solid shaft member 40. The members 40 and 42 are individually connected, such as by keying or set screws, to the associated oscillating levers 44 and 46 respectively. The device operates so that when the lever 38 is moved backwardly and forwardly, the levers 44 and 46 are oscillated to cause an oscillatory movement of the shaft members 40 and 42 during such movement.

The movement of the shaft members 40 and 42 is transmitted to respective arms or feed fingers 48 and 50. Each feed finger is provided at its one end with an elongated slot 52 for adjustably positioning a plate member 54. The feed fingers 48 and 50 may thus be located longitudinally in the correct position for feeding the label strips 22 and 24 and secured in a longitudinally adjusted position in respect to the plate 54 by means of bolt members 56. Lateral adjustment of the fingers 48 and 50 may be achieved by shifting the plate 54 in respect to its connection to respective oscillata'ble arms 58 and 60. For this purpose the plate 54 is provided with laterally elongated slots 62 and the plate may be secured in an adjustable position on the respective arm 58 or 60 by bolt members '64. Longitudinal adjustment of the plates 54 may be accomplished, as indicated in FIG. 2, by means of a control knob 66 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which, upon rotation, will shift the plate 54 in a particular direction longitudinally. The arms 58 and 60 are secured to the respective elements 40 and 42 such as by threaded bolt members 68.

A further feature of the feed mechanism B is the provision of a guide wing or right angle member 70 and 72 for each of the respective feed fingers 48 and 50, respectively. These guide wings comprise a right angle element having a lateral slot 74 to permit lateral adjustment thereof in respect to the associated finger 48 or 50. The outermost end of each of the guide wings 70 and 72 carries a Teflon bearing pin or head 76 (FIG. 3) which is adapted to rest on the top surface of an associated guideway 12. In this manner the lower ends of each of the feed fingers, as indicated at 50a in FIG. 3, will easily engage the continuous strip material 20 or 22 to advance the strip material in timed relationship to the cutting mechanism C without causing any damage thereto.

A further feature of the invention is the packing mechanism G, and, in the embodiment illustrated, two label blanks or strips 28 and 30 are delivered by the feet 32 and 34 of the slide mechanism D over a rectangularly cutout area 78 located in one corner of the table 10. At this location the labels are supported at each end only on inwardly projecting and movable horizontal ledge members 80 and 82 (FIG. 8) above a mechanism generally designated H for supporting an open container for filling purposes and for permitting the infeed of materials such as labels into the container.

An empty carton or container, which is partially indicated at 84 (FIGS. 6 and 8), and into which the label strips are to be packed, is opened and positioned so that its lowermost open end is directed over a vertically movable article supporting base or wall 86 which is carried at the upper end of an elongated rod member 88.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, two label strips 28 and 30 are fed so that there are two rod members 88 with supporting bases 86 in the auxiliary feeding device H for the container. The rod members 88 are slidable in blocks 90 but are biased against vertical sliding movement by means of a biasing means comprising a bearing pin 92 which is urged into association with a side face of the rod element 88 by means of a spring 94 which is disposed between the bearing pin and a threaded screw member 96 (FIG. 7). The screw member 96 may be threaded into the block 90 for the purposes of varying the compressive force of the spring 94 and the biasing force on the rod 88.

The blocks 90 are slidable on rod members 98 and 100 and they may be adjusted to accurately position the supporting base 86 below the label strips 28 and 30. Once the block elements 90 have been properly located, they are set in an adjusted position by means of a set screw 102. The rods 98 and 100 are slidably carried on a block member 104 which, in turn, is slidable on rod elements 106 and 108 which are secured to a plate 110 carried on a side wall of the machine. Block member 104 is adjusted backwardly or forwardly in respect to the plate 110 and secured in an adjusted position by means of a set screw 112.

In order to place a new empty container 84 in position for receiving labels 28 or 30, the rod 88 is moved downwardly by applying pressure on the surface of the support 86. The container is then positioned upwardly into the position indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 6 and the upper interior walls are positioned around outer vertical guide channels 112 and 114 which form a part of the packing mechanism G. The lower end of the container 84 is positioned to rest on a rod 116 which is adjustable on the plate 110 and is provided with an angled portion 116a over which a flap 84a of the container is positioned, as indicated in FIG. 8. The rod 88 is then moved upwardly so that the container 84 is spaced close to the bottom of the labels 28 and 30 when they are in the position indicated in FIG. 8.

The packing mechanism G (FIGS. 7 and 8) includes the channels 112 and 114 which are carried by horizontally disposed adjustment bolts 116 and 118 which also carry a central guide channel 120. Left and right assemblies of guide channels generally designated 121 and each comprising the guide channels 112, 114 and 120, are supported on block members 112 which are bolted to a side of the machine. The longitudinal spacing between the end channels 112 and 114 and the central channel 120 may be varied for accommodating various label sizes by rotating two control knobs 124 and 126 which are effective to shift the guide channel 114 and the central guide channel 120 in respect to the outer guide channel 112 (see FIG. 6). Each assembly 121 also includes the horizontally movable ledge members 80 and 82 which are transverse movable plate portions of lever members 128, which are pivoted at 130 at the lower end of the associated blocks 122. The upper ends of the lever members carry rollers 132 which are contacted by cam members 134 which are moved downwardly by means of a reciprocating rod 136 which is operated in timed relationship to the other op erating mechanism of the machine. The operation of this mechanism is fully disclosed in Patent No. 3,106,809 (mentioned supra) in FIG. 13 thereof, for example, there is indicated how the comparable elements 188 are moved. The timing for the rod 136 of the present invention is similar to the member 188 of that patent. As indicated in FIG. 8, the rod member 136 is biased upwardly by a compression spring 138 and it carries at its upper end a cross rod 140 having a laterally elongated slot 142 for adjustably accommodating the cam members 134. The cam members 134, 134, 134 are carried on a longitudinal member 143 which also carries packing feet 144 (FIG. 6) which may be adjustably positioned to depend downwardly at spaced locations therealong in a position to overlie side edges of the labels 28 and 30 to direct them downwardly after the cam members 134 have moved past the rollers 132 to cause the ledges 80 and 82 to move inwardly to permit the dropping of the label into the container 84. As the labels are pushed down by the packing feet 144, the supporting base 86 is displaced downwardly to permit the complete filling of the container 84. The biasing force on the rod 88 is adjusted so that the downward feed will be unhindered and continuous.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strip or label cutting and forming device in which strip material in continuous length is fed into association with a reciprocating knife for the cutting of material into individual label elements, a strip material feeding mechanism comprising an oscillatable shaft member, means supporting said oscillatable shaft member for oscillation and for movement forwardly and backwardly in a direction of strip material feed, a feed finger connected to said oscillatable shaft member and being oscillatable therewith and movable backwardly and forwardly upon backward and forward movement of said oscillatable shaft member, said finger having a downwardly turned portion adapted to contact the continuous strip material and to advance it in a direction of feed when said member is oscillated downwardly into engagement therewith, means for adjusting said feed member for locating said feed finger in respect to said strip material including an arm member connected to said oscillatable shaft member and oscillatable therewith, a transverse plate member carried by said ann member and extending transversely outwardly from said arm member, said feed finger being connected to said transverse plate member, and means for shifting said transverse plate member inwardly and outwardly in respect to said arm member and transversely to the direction of feed of said strip material.

2. In a strip or label cutting and forming device in which strip material in continuous length is fed into association with a reciprocating knife for the cutting of the strip material into individual label elements, a strip material feeding mechanism comprising an oscillatable shaft member, means supporting said oscillatable shaft member for oscillation and for movement forwardly and backwardly in directions parallel to the direction of strip material feed, a feed finger connected to said oscillatable shaft member and being oscillatable therewith and movable backwardly and forwardly upon backward and forward movement of said oscillatable shaft member, said finger having a downwardly turned portion adapted to contact the continuous strip material and to advance it in a direction of feed when said member is oscillated downwardly into engagement therewith, and means for adjusting said feed member along the feed path for 10- cating said feed finger in respect to said strip material including a lever arm member connected to said oscillatable shaft member and oscillatable therewith, a transverse plate member carried by said lever arm member and extending transversely outwardly from said lever arm member and being movable to vary the amount of extension outwardly from said lever arm, said feed finger being connected to said transverse plate member at a location spaced from said lever arm member, and means for shifting said transverse plate member in longitudinal directions in respect to the direction of feed of said strip material, said means comprising a rotatable knob member threaded to said plate member for displacing said plate member upon rotation of said knob member.

3. In a strip or label cutting and forming device in which strip material in continuous length is fed into association with a reciprocating knife for the cutting of material into individual label elements, a strip material feeding mechanism comprising an oscillatable shaft member, means supporting said oscillatable shaft member for oscillation and for movement forwardly and backwardly in a direction of strip material feed, a feed finger connected to said oscillatable shaft member and being oscillatable therewith and movable backwardly and forwardly upon backward and forward movement of said oscillatable shaft member, said finger having a downwardly turned portion adapted to contact the continuous strip material and to advance it in a direction of feed when said member is oscillated downwardly into engagement therewith and thereafter moved forwardly, means for cutting said strip material into individual label elements, a packing mechanism including at least one laterally displaceable supporting ledge member, means for advancing the individual label elements into association with said packing mechanism and above the displaceable ledge member, means for displacing the ledge member out of the path of said label element to permit the label element to fall downwardly, and means for supporting said label elements in a stack below said ledge element.

4. In a strip or label cutting and forming device in which strip material in continuous length is fed into association with a reciprocating knife for the cutting of material into individual label elements, a strip material feeding mechanism comprising an oscillatable shaft member, means supporting said oscillatable shaft member for oscillation and for movement forwardly and backwardly in a direction of strip material feed, a feed finger connected to said oscillatable shaft member and being oscillatable therewith and movable backwardly and forwardly upon backward and forward movement of said oscillatable shaft member, said finger having a downwardly turned portion adapted to contact the continuous strip material and to advance it in a direction of feed when said member is oscillated downwardly into engagement therewith and thereafter moved forwardly, means for cutting said strip material into individual label elements, a packing mechanism including at least one laterally displaceable supporting ledge member, means for advancing the individual label elements into association with said packing mechanism and above the displaceable ledge member, means for displacing the ledge member out of the path of said label element to permit the label element to fall downwardly, and means for supporting said label elements in a stack below said ledge element, said means for supporting said labels in a stack comprising a supporting base, means mounting said supporting base for vertical movement, and means to bias said member against vertical movement, said biasing means being of an amount to permit downward movement of said base member as said labels are fed downwardly.

5. In a strip or label cutting and forming device in which strip material in continuous length is fed into association with a reciprocating knife for the cutting of material into individual label elements, a strip material feeding mechanism comprising an oscillatable shaft member, means supporting said oscillatable shaft member for oscillation and for movement forwardly and backwardly in a direction of strip material feed, a feed finger connected to said oscillatable shaft member and being oscillatable therewith and movable backwardly and forwardly upon backward and forward movement of said oscillatable shaft member, said finger having a downwardly turned portion adapted to contact the continuous strip material and to advance it in a direction of feed when said member is oscillated downwardly into engagement therewith and thereafter moved forwardly, means for cutting said strip material into individual label elements, a packing mechanism including at least one laterally displaceable supporting ledge member, means for advancing the individual label elements into association with said pack ing mechanism and above the displaceable ledge member, means for displacing the ledge member out of the path of said label element to permit the label element to fall downwardly, and means for supporting said label elements in a stack below said ledge element, said means for supporting said labels in a stack comprising a block member, means for adjustably positioning said block member below said label elements, a rod member slidable in vertical directions in said block member, means to bias said rod member against vertical displacement, said rod member carrying said supporting wall member which is adapted to be positioned below the label elements and to receive the label elements as they are directed downwardly by said packing mechanism.

7 6. In a strip or label cutting and forming device in which strip material in continuous length is fed into association with a reciprocating knife for the cutting of material into individual label elements, a strip material feeding mechanism comprising an oscillatable shaft member, means supporting said oscillatable shaft member for oscillation and for movement forwardly and backwardly in a direction of strip material feed, a feed finger connected to said oscillatable shaft member and being oscillatable therewith and movable backwardly and forwardly upon backward and forward movement of said oscillatable shaft member, said finger having a downwardly turned portion adapted to contact the continuous strip material and to advance it in a direction of feed when said member is oscillated downwardly into engagement therewith and thereafter moved forwardly, means for cutting said strip material into individual label elements, a packing mechanism including at least one laterally displaceable supporting ledge member, means for advancing the individual label elements into association with said packing mechanism and above the displaceable ledge member, means for displacing the ledge member out of the path of said label element to permit the label element to fall downwardly, and means for supporting said label elements in a stack below said ledge element, said packing mechanism comprising a pivotal lever pivotal for back and forth movement and having said displaceable ledge thereon and a reciprocating member adapted to contact said lever and displace it out of the path of said label for packing purposes.

7. A feeding mechanism for a strip severing and forming and packing machine, comprising a first hollow oscillatable shaft, a second shaft having a portion rotatable within said first shaft and extending outwardly from one end thereof, first and second oscillatable levers connected separately to said first hollow shaft and said second shaft adjacent the ends thereof for effecting separate independent oscillation of said first and second shafts as they are moved, means for displacing said shafts in back and forth movement along the strip material feed path and separate feeding fingers connected to said shafts individually and being oscillatable individually therewith, said feed fingers extending downwardly for engaging and feeding strip material along separate laterally spaced feed paths, and means for adjusting each of said fingers in respect to said shafts and the strip material, said means comprising a separate arm member connected to each of said first and second shafts, a plate member connected to corresponding ones of said arm members and being latterly adjustable in respect thereto, said fingers being connected to respective ones of said plate members and having means for longitudinal adjustment in respect to said plate member.

8. A feeding mechanism for a strip severing and forming and packing machine, comprising a first hollow oscillatable shaft, a second shaft having a portion rotatable within said first shaft and extending outwardly from one end thereof, first and second oscillatable levers connected separately to said first hollow shaft and said second shaft adjacent the ends thereof for effecting separate independent oscillation of said first and second shafts as they are moved, means for displacing said shafts in back and forth movement along the strip material feed path and separate feeding fingers'connected to said shafts individually and being oscillatable individually therewith, said feed fingers extending downwardly for engaging and feeding strip material along separate laterally spaced feed paths, and means for adjusting each of said fingers in respect to said shafts and the strip material, said means comprising a separate arm member connected to each of said first and second shafts, a plate member connected to corresponding ones of said arm members and being laterally adjustable in respect thereto, said fingers being connected to respective ones of said plate members and having means for longitudinal adjustment in respect to said plate member, and a guiding bracket connected to an end of each of said fingers adjacent the portion thereof which engages the strip material, said bracket adapted to ride on a guiding ledge, and a guiding ledge positioned adjacent said bracket raised upwardly from the feed path for said strip material and providing a ledge preventing the downward movement of said fingers beyond a predetermined amount.

9. A device for use in the packing of containers with materials comprising a block member, an elongated rod slidable in said block member, a transverse article supporting member at the upper end of said rod member for insertion into an open container and for supporting materials thereon, a rod holding member engaged against said rod, and means in said block member for continuously biasing said rod holding member toward engagement with said rod member to restrain said rod member against vertical displacement, said biasing means being such to permit the relative sliding movement of said rod and said rod holding member and downward feeding of said supporting member and said rod member during the filling of the container with articles by the feecing force and the addition to the weight of the articles which are fed.

10. A device for use in the packing of containers with materials comprising a block member, an elongated rod slidable in said block member, a transverse article supporting member at the upper end of said rod member for insertion into an open container and for supporting materials thereon, and means in said block member for biasing said rod member against vertical displacement comprising an adjustment member threaded into said block, and a spring disposed between said adjustment member and said rod member, said biasing means being such to permit the downward feeding of said supporting member and said rod member during the filling of the container with articles.

11. A device for use in the packing of containers with materials comprising a block member, an elongated rod slidable in said block member, a transverse article supporting member at the upper end of said rod member for insertion into an open container and for supporting materials thereon, and means in said block member for biasing said rod member against vertical displacement comprising an adjustment member threaded into said block, and a spring disposed between said adjustment member and said rod member, said biasing means being such to permit the downward feeding of said supporting member and said rod member during the filling of the container with articles, and means adjustably holding said block member for positioning said block member and said article supporting member in alignment with articles which are to be packed into the container.

12. A label packing device for packing lightweight labels of a material such as cloth into a container, comprising a pivotal lever member, said lever member having a horizontal ledge portion, nieans for feeding a plurality of labels in succession to positions at which each label overlies said ledge and for withdrawing said feeding means so that the label is supported entirely by said ledge, and reciprocating means for displacing said lever member to move said ledge out of alignment with the label it supports to permit the label to drop into a container.

13. A label packing device for packing lightweight labels of a material such as cloth into a container, comprising a base support member of a size to permit a label container to be positioned thereover with the support member forming the bottom of said container, means defining a label feed path above said base support member and said container, a pivotal lever member arranged on each side of said base support member and having a horizontal ledge portion extending outwardly from each side and located at the end of said feed path for supporting a label fed thereto in a position overlying said support member and a container positioned thereon, means for feeding a plurality of labels in succession along said teedpath and onto the ledge portions on each side of said feedpath overlying said base support and for thereafter withdrawing said feeding means, and means for moving said lever members to withdraw said ledge supports from said feedpath and from supporting the fed label to permit the fed label to drop onto said support base.

14. A label packing device according to claim 13, wherein said means for moving said lever member includes means to push said label downwardly toward said support base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,611,822 12/1926 Dulche 53 24s X 2,924,051 2/1960 More 53-247 X 3,106,809 10/1963 Forthmann 53116 3,119,213 1/1964 Kinney 53245X ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner. R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

4. IN A STRIP OR LABEL CUTTING AND FORMING DEVICE IN WHICH STRIP MATERIAL IN CONTINUOUS LENGTH IS FED INTO ASSOCIATION WITH A RECIPROCATING KNIFE FOR THE CUTTING OF MATERIAL INTO INDIVIDUAL LABEL ELEMENTS, A STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN OSCILLATABLE SHAFT MEMBER, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID OSCILLATABLE SHAFT MEMBER FOR OSCILLATION AND FOR MOVEMENT FORWARDLY AND BACKWARDLY IN A DIRECTION OF STRIP MATERIAL FEED, A FEED FINGER CONNECTED TO SAID OSCILLATABLE SHAFT MEMBER AND BEING OSCILLATABLE THEREWITH AND MOVABLE BACKWARDLY AND FORWARDLY UPON BACKWARD AND FORWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID OSCILLATABLE SHAFT MEMBER, SAID FINGER HAVING A DOWNWARDLY TURNED PORTION ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE CONTINUOUS STRIP MATERIAL AND TO ADVANCE IT IN A DIRECTION OF FEED WHEN SAID MEMBER IS OSCILLATED DOWNWARDLY INTO ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND THEREAFTER MOVED FORWARDLY, MEANS FOR CUTTING SAID STRIP MATERIAL INTO INDIVIDUAL LABEL ELEMENTS, A PACKING MECHANISM INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE LATERALLY DISPLACEABLE SUPPORTING LEDGE MEMBER, MEANS FOR ADVANCING THE INDIVIDUAL LABEL ELEMENTS INTO ASSOCIATION WITH SAID PACKING MECHANISM AND ABOVE THE DISPLACEABLE LEDGE MEMBER, MEANS FOR DISPLACING THE LEDGE MEMBER OUT OF THE PATH OF SAID LABEL ELEMENT TO PERMIT THE LABEL ELEMENT TO FALL DOWNWARDLY, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID LABEL ELEMENTS IN A STACK BELOW SAID LEDGE ELEMENT, SAID MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID LABELS IN A STACK COMPRISING A SUPPORTING BASE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SUPPORTING BASE FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, AND MEANS TO BIAS SAID MEMBER AGAINST VERTICAL MOVEMENT, SAID BIASING MEANS BEING OF AN AMOUNT TO PERMIT DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID BASE MEMBER AS SAID LABELS ARE FED DOWNWARDLY. 